Dual voltage drop light

ABSTRACT

A trouble light for use on two different voltages. The light has an incandescent lamp having two filaments. One of the filaments is connected to terminals so that it can be connected to a first source of voltage, such as 120 volts A.C. The second filament is connected to two terminals so that it can be connected to a second source of voltage, such as, for example, 12 volts. A cord is connected to the terminals. The cord terminates in a first plug. The first plug has pins for plugging into a socket. The adapter has a second female plug adapted to be received in a power supply. Clip leads are connected to the wires in the first plug for connecting to a battery. The construction of the lamp disclosed herein is such that it will prevent an electrical shock to the user since the exposed plugs and terminals are not connected to the power source.

Elnited States Patent [1 1 Spiteri 1 1 DUAL VOLTAGE DROP LIGHT [76]Inventor: Joseph Spiteri, 6613 E. Lake Rd., Erie, Pa. 16511 22 Filed:May 17,1971

21 Appl.No.: 144,125

Primary ExaminerDavid Schonberg Assistant Examiner-Paul A. SacherAttorney-Charles L. Lovercheck 1 Sept. 25, 1973 5 7 ABSTRACT A troublelight for use on two different voltages. The light has an incandescentlamp having two filaments. One of the filaments is connected toterminals so that it can be connected to a first source of voltage, suchas 120 volts A.C. The second filament is connected to two terminals sothat it can be connected to a second source of voltage, such as, forexample, 12 volts. A cord is connected to the terminals. The cordterminates in a first plug. The first plug has pins for plugging into asocket. The adapter has a second female plug adapted to be received in apower supply. Clip leads are connected to the wires in the first plugfor connecting to a battery. The construction of the lamp disclosedherein is such that it will prevent an electrical shock to the usersince the exposed plugs and terminals are not connected to the powersource.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented Sept. 25, 1973 1 DUAL VOLTAGE DROPLIGHT OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention toprovide a lamp which can be connected to either a power line plug orterminals, the power line plug connecting a first filament to a firstsource of voltage and the clips connecting a second filament to a secondsource of voltage in such a way that the user will not incur electricalshock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dual voltage lamp.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lamp that is simple inconstruction, economical to manufacture, and simple and efficient touse.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consistsof the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes maybe made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details ofconstruction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Now withmore particular reference to the drawings, the trouble light embodimentshown in FIG. 1 and FIG.

4 has a lamp 3 with a guard 4. Power is carried to the lamp through thelamp holder 5 and handle 6. The lamp holder 5 has openings 35 into whichan accessory may be plugged. The accessory opening is electricallyconnected to the I20 volt filament of the lamp.

The lamp can be used either by plugging male plug 18 into a conventionalI20 volt power source Male plug 18 has first terminals 24 and 25 andground terminal 26 or it could be supplied power from a batterybyplugging male adapter plug 9 into female plug 40 and attaching clips11 to the terminals of a battery. Therefore, the user of a vehicle mayuse the trouble light where 120 volts is available at the dock. He canalso use the light while he is enroute, when only the vehicle battery isavailable.

The lamp is provided with the two filaments, l3 and 14. In theembodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 the three lines 15, l6, 17 in cord 7connect the filaments 13 and 14 to two different power sources. The I20volt lines 16 and 17 are connected to the two pins 24 and 25 of plug 18.The pin 26 is connected to a ground'line.

The female plug 40 may receive the terminals 41 and 42 of plug 9. Theterminals 41 and 42are connected to clips 11 by lines 10 and 12. Theclips 11 may be clipped onto the terminals of a suitable battery. Itwill be noted that filaments l3 and 14 are both connected to common line16. Filament 13 is connected to lines 16 and 15. Filament 14 isconnected to lines 16 and 17. Thus, when plug 18 is connected to a 120volt power source, filament 14 is used. When plug '9 is connected toplug 40 and clips 11 are connected to battery terminals, filament 13 isused.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2, the cord 107 hasthree lines in it. These three lines are connected to a high voltagefilament and to a low voltage filament in the sarnemanner as the linesin cord 7 of FIG. 1. The lines connected to the high voltage filament inthe embodiment of FIG. 2 are connected to the male terminals 124 and 125of the male portion of plug 108. The terminals 124 and 125 can beplugged into a suitable 120 volt source. The female terminals 121 and132 in the female portion of plug 108 receive the terminals 141 and 142of the male plug 109. Lines 110 and 112 are connected to terminals 141and 142 and to clips 111. Thus, when terminals 141 and 142 are insertedin terminals 121 and 132 and clips 111 are connected to the terminals ofa suitable battery, the low voltage filament of the lamp bulb will beenergized.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the cord 207has three conductor lines 215, 216 and 217 connected to filaments 213and 214, as shown in FIG. 3. Wires 216 and 217 are connected toterminals 224 and 225 of the male plug 208. These terminals 224 and 225can be plugged into a suitable volt source.

Female terminal 242 in plug 209 is connected to one line 212. The otherfemale terminal 241 is not electrically connected. Thus, when the maleterminals 224 and 225 are plugged into female terminals 241 and 242,terminal 224 is connected to one line 212. The jumper line 230 isconnected to the other line 210 and to the male plug 232. The male plug232 can be plugged into female plug 233, which is connected through line231 to the line 215. Thus, the clips 211 are connected to the lines 216and 215 when the plug 208 is plugged into the plug 209 and the plug 232is plugged into the plug 233, and the filament 213 can be energized by asuitable source of power.

It will be seen that in this embodiment, there are no exposed terminalsthat may injure a user of the circuit.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 6, the plug 308 isfixed to a 3-wire cord, such as the cord 7 shown in FIG. 1. The plug 308has two male terminals 324 and 325 and one female terminal 321 connectedto the lines 316, 317 and 315 respectively. The plug 309 has two femaleterminals 341 and 342. Terminal 342 is connected to line 336 and a maleterminal 339 is connected to line 334. The female terminal 341 is notconnected to any conductor. Lines 334 and 336 will be connected to twoclip leads such as the clip leads l0 and 12 in FIG. 1. Thus the maleterminals 324 and 326 are received in the female terminals 341 and 342and the terminal 339 is received in the terminal 321 and the lamp cordcan be used connected to a battery. When plugs 308 and 309 areseparated, the terminals 324 and 325 can be plugged into a suitable 120volt source and the high'voltage filament will be energized. When theplugs 308 and 309 are connected and clipped to a battery, the lowvoltage filament will be energized.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferredpractical forms but the structure shown is capable of modificationwithin a range of equivalents without departing from the invention whichis to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with theappended claims The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusiveproperty or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In combination, an electrical device having a first electricalelement adapted to operate on a first voltage and a second electricalelement adapted to operate on a second voltage,

a first plug member and a second plug member,

said first electrical element having a first end and a second end,

said second electrical element having a first end and a second end,

a first male terminal on said first plug member connected to said firstend of said first electrical element,

a second male terminal on said first plug member connected to saidsecond end of said first electrical element, I v

a third female terminal on said first plug member connected to saidsecond end of said second electrical element,

said second male terminal on said first plug member being connected tosaid first end of said second electrical element,

a first female terminal on said second plug member receiving said firstmale terminal on said first plug member,

a second female terminal on said second plug member receiving saidsecond male terminal on said first plug member,

a third male terminal on said second plug member received in said thirdfemale terminal on said plug member,

and means for connecting said second female terminal on said second plugmember and said third male terminal in said second plug member to asecond electrical voltage source.

2. The plug recited in claim 1 wherein said third line is connected toan external wire having a plug thereon and a plug adapted to beconnected to said external wire and connected to one of said clips.

3. The lamp recited in claim 1 wherein a second fe male plug is providedand said second female plug is connected to said first line and saidthird line,

said first female plug has pins thereon adapted to be received in saidsecond female plug whereby said clips are connected to said first lineand said third line.

4. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said electrical devicecomprises a lamp,

said first electrical element comprises a first lamp filament in saidlamp,

said second electrical element comprises a second electrical filament insaid lamp,

5. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said adapter memberscomprise elongated wires connected to said female terminals on saidsecond plug member, and clips on the end of said adapter wires.

6. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said third female terminalon said first plug member is supported thereon by means of a jumperwire,

said jumper wire is connected to said female terminal.

1. In combination, an electrical device having a first electricalelement adapted to operate on a first voltage and a second electricalelement adapted to operate on a second voltage, a first plug member anda second plug member, said first electrical element having a first endand a second end, said second electrical element having a first end anda second end, a first male terminal on said first plug member connectedto said first end of said first electrical element, a second maleterminal on said first plug member connected to said second end of saidfirst electrical element, a third female terminal on said first plugmember connected to said second end of said second electrical element,said second male terminal on said first plug member being connected tosaid first end of said second electrical element, a first femaleterminal on said second plug member receiving said first male terminalon said first plug member, a second female terminal on said second plugmember receiving said second male terminal on said first plug member, athird male terminal on said second plug member received in said thirdfemale terminal on said plug member, and means for connecting saidsecond female terminal on said second plug member and said third maleterminal in said second plug member to a second electrical voltagesource.
 2. The plug recited in claim 1 wherein said third line isconnected to an external wire having a plug thereon and a plug adaptedto be connected to said external wire and connected to one of saidclips.
 3. The lamp recited in claim 1 wherein a second female plug isprovided and said second female plug is connected to said first line andsaid third line, said first female plug has pins thereon adapted to bereceived in said second female plug whereby said clips are connected tosaid first line and said third line.
 4. The combination recited in claim1 wherein said electrical device comprises a lamp, said first electricalelement comprises a first lamp filament in said lamp, said secondelectrical element comprises a second electrical filament in said lamp,5. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said adapter memberscomprise elongated wires connected to said female terminals on saidsecond plug member, and clips on the end of said adapter wires.
 6. Thecombination recited in claim 4 wherein said third female terminal onsaid first plug member is supported thereon by means of a jumper wire,said jumper wire is connected to said female terminal.